It can also make it easier for companies to lose customers.<p>Twelve years ago, I had a landline service problem with a phone company I'd used for twenty years. I attempted to call customer support. Between me and a solution stood a robotic voice offering limited options. After 5-10 minutes of trying to get past the robot, I ceased to be a customer of that company ... by that time, there were already other options.<p>Humans are far smarter than computers. If only we could be nudged into becoming more robotic.